The present invention relates to heating apparatus and more particularly to a self-contained heating apparatus which may be adapted for positioning within a fireplace for converting the fireplace into a forced air heating unit.
Prior art heating apparatus may take the form of a stove in which a combustion chamber is provided for the burning of combustible material. Heat produced in the combustion chamber is radiated outwardly through the sides of the stove in order to heat a selected room area or space. The heat given off does not circulate adequately, and therefore it has been proposed to provide ducts within such stoves in order to provide conduits by which air could be more readily distributed into a space. However, it has been found that the design of such stoves suffers from certain drawbacks.
Specifically, it has been found that the stoves are not constructed so that air is fully pre-heated before it is circulated through the ducts. Thus, from a heat transfer standpoint, the air does not pick up adequate heat and cool air may tend to circulate.
Other proposals have considered mounting a unit within a fireplace to convert the fireplace into a forced air unit. However, it has been found difficult to provide units which will adequately transfer heat from the fireplace mounted unit so that the heat is distributed effectively within a space.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a self-contained heating apparatus or unit which utilizes a combustion chamber substantially surrounded by an air chamber which pre-heats air before the air is forced through plural air ducts which extend through the combustion chamber. An air mover means is used to circulate air through the air chamber and outwardly through the air ducts. Complete and effective heat transfer from the combustion chamber to the discharged air is ensured.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a self-contained heating apparatus which may be readily mounted into a fireplace opening to convert the fireplace into a forced air heating system.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a self-contained heating apparatus which is provided with an external configuration which permits ready and unobtrusive mounting into a fireplace.
These and additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from a consideration of the following drawings and a detailed description of the preferred embodiments.